Food, travel & Lifestyle

Category: London

Do USPAAH? You certainly should. USPAAH caters to all of your mobile spa needs. Need a mani but have no time to go to a salon? USPAAH has got you covered.

All you have to do is download the app, choose your treatment and a dedicated Sparista will arrive at your door, armed with spa essentials and a smile.

I was invited to the USPAAH event this week held at the super swanky Amanda Wakeley flagship store (told you it was fancy) in Mayfair to mooch about on the beautiful staircase see some of the Sparistas in action.

I perused Ms Wakeley’s new collection, found the electric blue bag of my dreams, sunk some champagne and enjoyed some of the treatments USPAAH has to offer.

I have never been one to turn down a massage, I made a beeline for an empty massage chair and was in Andrea’s expert hands. Hands of an angel (which I’ve now taken to believe is the reason for the wings in the USPAAH logo). The massage was great, just the right amount of pressure, and I was chuffed to find out that you can request certain Sparistas through the app too, so you can have the same specialist each time if you wish (Andrea and I are going to become firm friends, she just doesn’t know it yet).

The idea behind the app is that it fits into your busy lifestyle; the Sparistas appear within the hour so you can have them come out to your home, work, even your garden shed if you’re that way inclined. (If you can afford a garden, let alone a shed in London then I envy you.)

The app is only London based at the moment but I quite like the idea of having a ladies weekend in the big city and getting ready in your hotel and inviting the USPAAH Sparistas to join the pre-drinking party for a glam-over. A Christmas shopping weekend in a fancy hotel would be perfect (Yes, I did just mention the C word in September – whatcha gonna do? It’s coming, deal with it).

USPAAH covers everything from blow drys to pedis and massage so they’ve got your back (and hair, and nails… *groan*) Download the app and treat yo’self.

*This IS NOT a sponsored post. I just had a lovely evening and think the app is a bloody good idea.

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I am clearly obsessed with brunch. Either that or every Sunday morning I wake up and find that we need to do a food shop and toast just ain’t cutting it. Which is exactly what happened last weekend.

The Bull & Last is somewhere I’ve wanted to go for a while and it’s only a leisurely Sunday morning stroll away. It regularly tops the ‘best roasts in London’ lists and is on the radar of pretty much everyone in the Hampstead/Highgate area.

However, their roasts will have to wait for another post as this was all about breakfast. The Bull & Last only serve breakfasts from 9am-11am every Saturday and Sunday – that is a very small window of opportunity. I’ve done the math and that’s only 6% of the week. If you have a menu thats only available 6% of the week you’ve got to be pretty damn confident about it. And I think they are.

First thing done right is the coffee. Climpson & Sons is a coffee company in east London and my boyfriend’s fave, so once he found out The Bull & Last coffee is Climpsons he was sold. Just look at that babe’in crockery too.

Now for the main event.

I feel like I’m getting predictable in my old age, pancakes again. But not just any pancakes, these are buttermilk pancakes with blueberries, maple syrup and creme fraiche. (£8) Delicious and just the right amount.

Matt is also old and predictable and went for the biggest breakfast there was, The Full Bull (£10). And believe me, after that, he was. Kudos for the extra crispy bacon.

I’ve got my eye on the sweetcorn fritters next. I was admiring them on the table in front of us, as was this little fella.

If you’re in the area, hungry, and want to spend your weekend morning in the company of various well-behaved dogs give The Bull & Last a go.

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Taiwanese food is amazing – it’s basically everything you fancy when you’re hungover. Sweet, salty carby goodness and tons of fried chicken. So when I heard there was a Taiwanese food place opening in Soho I was pretty damn happy about it.

BAO Soho is pretty new but it’s already got lunchtime (and dinnertime) diners queuing around the street. Matt and I got there about 15 minutes before it opened for dinner and we had to get to the back of a 10 person strong queue, so to say this place is popular would be an understatement.

BAO is a pretty small set up, with small tables and seating around the tea and sake bar it probably fits about 25 people max but the service is quick so they can get those tables turned over quickly! You get given a menu while you’re waiting to be seated and there are pencils on the table to mark off what you want.

The decor is really simplistic with lots of wood, it kind of feels like being in an Ikea/Muji concept store. I think the pot of pencils on each table probably didn’t help. I felt like sticking one behind my ear for measuring up a Billy bookcase later.

But enough about stationary…

We ordered near enough half of the menu so we could try lots of different things, including: aubergine with wonton crisps, fried chicken with hot sauce and sweet potato fries with plum pickle ketchup.

The sauce on the chicken is hotter than the sun so the glass of peanut milk I had to wash it down with was much needed. That’s right, peanut milk. It’s like almond milks tastier cousin and I’m deeply upset I can’t buy it from Tesco and bathe in it.

Now, the main attraction. Bao basically means bun, and these steamed buns are like fluffy, puffy marshmallows.

BAO CHICKA WOW WOW (ahem…)

We got a few different ones to share; including classic pork, confit pork, and lamb shoulder. The lamb was great but the pork definitely won the taste test. Pork is always a winner when it comes to bao and it definitely didn’t disappoint; confit and classic were both super tasty.

Prices are pretty reasonable, so you can be as thrifty or as spendy as you like (or as your stomach permits). Each bao ranges from £3.50 – £5 and the sides and extras are about the same, with the most expensive being £6.

So, get yourself down to BAO if you’re in the area but be prepared to get in line.